


the shining distraction that makes me fly home

by canyonbrave



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alpha - Freeform, Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, M/M, Omega Louis, Omega Verse, alternative universe, larry - Freeform, larrystylinson, omega - Freeform, one direction - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26897782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canyonbrave/pseuds/canyonbrave
Summary: An omega Louis and an alpha Harry find themselves in a forced marriage that gives Louis the freedom he desires in exchange for Harry being chained up a bit more.[Or where they are, but Louis never thinks it's time.]
Relationships: Harry Styles & Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Kudos: 49





	the shining distraction that makes me fly home

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the inconsistencies, English is not my first language and I have to correct the errors xx

Harry looked into the eyes of the omega lying next to him and found the blue stronger than ever, blazing through the faint light that illuminated them. He raised his hand carefully, circling the cheek of Louis, who from his place gave him a tender smile. The omega's caramel and vanilla smell filled his nostrils, making him feel safe enough to caress her skin lovingly and reach for him, bringing their lips together in an uneasy kiss that mixed slightly with a self-imposed need for both of them.

Self-imposed because Harry had spent many months trying to ignore what was happening. He had been trying to bypass the protective instinct that grew in his gut every time Louis came home from college smelling of another alpha, how dry his throat became when the omega snuggled against his back, and the way his hands shook. legs every time she came and her scent flooded him.

How had everything happened? Harry wasn't even able to structure it properly.

Harry had not lived his entire life in the United States. His family was originally from a small town in the north of the United Kingdom, where the idea of the classic and conservative prevailed. And their parents were not far behind, of course, they struggled to maintain the old cross-racial customs. His father, Des Styles, had left an appliance business to become a great businessman, and when his sister turned fourteen, the whole family moved to a luxurious complex outside of London. There, Anne devoted her entire adolescence to instilling in him and her sister that they should marry young. He also tried to force them to study international business.

Gemma managed to disengage and end up studying journalism, but Harry knew it was because she was beta, so they allowed him absolutely everything that he wasn't allowed. He decided to listen to them and went off to college, hoping to escape a few years from them. Des ended up thriving and opening several multinationals across the globe, so when Harry turned twenty-two and still had no omega, both he and his parents realized that it was not going to happen - at least in the short term - and they they suggested that he go to the US.

It took Harry less than twenty-four hours to get on the plane.

It had worked well back then. He was going to work, hanging out with some friends ... He was just on his own business, his parents weren't complaining and everything was going perfect.

That was the way it had been for the next four years, until that week.

The UK air was totally different when he disembarked from that plane. His muscles were heavy despite having slept in the cozy first-class seat, and it took him more than one to get out of there because of an external problem with his bags. By the time he got into the taxi to his parents' new mansion (Des had started with the crisis of the fifties, which consisted of buying properties at the same time and thinking about his retirement), he was exhausted enough that a pain It will settle in the lower part of your head.

Harry used to visit them at least once a year, so he wouldn't have to listen to his mother's complaints and complaints on the phone every week, and this was no exception. Mid-summer was near, the company was closing for a couple of weeks to give employees vacations, and he had been talking to Gemma about going out and meeting. 

When he approached the hall of the new house and touched the marble on the front table, his mother appeared through the great arch and her expression changed completely.

"¡Harry!" Ella exclamó en un suspiro encantado, corriendo hacia él y envolviéndolo entre sus brazos conforme lo tuvo enfrente. Harry se dejó hacer, aún con las maletas colgadas de sus manos, y rodeó la cintura de su madre. La morena pareció sonreír sobre su hombro y luego se alejó para dejar un sonoro beso en su mejilla, mostrando su larga hilera de dientes blancos y perfectos. "Que alegría verte, hijo, te he echado tanto de menos."

Harry sometimes felt horrible judging her for her sexist and class actions, as well as her outdated idea of race and love, because he forgot that she was raised that way. Anne may have had a bit of guilt in trying to instill the same in her children, but he knew that she loved them with all her heart - and it is that, at the end of the day, Anne thought that her life should consist of watching over her husband and their children. 

"Hi Mom." He saluted when the woman finally released him and showed her one of his dimples, trying to get her to feel a little sympathy. Her mother's scent had always been particularly different, traits of sweet fruits mixed together. A strange combination, but cozy. "How are you?"

"Well well." He mumbled, waving his hand, intending to change the subject. "You better come, give me those bags," She reached her hands out to Harry, picking up his luggage. "I'm going to take them to your room, while you should see your father. He's in the kitchen."

"You forget that I don't know the layout of this house."

"Oh yeah right," She laughed covering her mouth with her hand, showing off a perfectly done manicure. "Cross this arch and turn left. There is a corridor, it is the door at the end. It won't be difficult."

"It's okay." Harry put the remaining suitcase on the floor and didn't even bother trying to help her, because he knew that would start an argument in which she would yell at him to let him take care of his own. And I honestly didn't feel like it. "Thanks Mom."

She smiled widely before turning to the long, grand stairs.

That day, he pretended to be happy to be there, eagerly ate the food that his mother had prepared (she had given the housemaids the day off) and then waited for Gemma at the fence that separated the house from the street, smoking a cigar. 

It was the next day, actually, that it all started.

He had been awakened by a beta, who had her hair tied in an elegant bun and had informed him that his family was waiting for him to have breakfast. He smiled at her and thanked her, getting a small blush from her. He quickly got ready and walked calmly down the stairs, finding that it wasn't just his parents around the dining room table. In front of them was a couple, she was omega and he alpha. It didn't take long for Harry to distinguish them by their scents and sat close to his sister, who was frowning for some reason unknown to him.

"Good morning son." His father had greeted him presiding over the table and with a smile on his face - perhaps predicting his tragedy. Harry coughed slightly and nodded at him in a bland greeting. "They are Mark and Jay Tomlinson. This is my son, Harry."

Harry scooped sugar into the tea a man in a suit had served him (seriously, were that many employees necessary?) And then looked up to meet their gaze again.

"Charmed." He vocalized without any kind of expression, receiving the same from both of them.

His father seemed to let him rest for breakfast, he talked to the married couple about business that didn't even matter to Harry, he had his tea quietly and joked with Anne about something ... But that's when Harry took the last bite of his food, who stared at him.

"Son," she called, lazily wiping the ends of her lips with her napkin, then laying it against her knee. "Actually the Tomlinsons are here for a matter that concerns you." Harry put his fork aside at that and raised his eyebrows at Des. "You see, they are starting out in the business world and they are doing quite well, I have to say. But they have a problem."

The alpha closed his brow and cocked his head.

"Which one exactly?" He asked dryly.

"Well," Des murmured, perhaps preparing to speak. "They have this son, you know? He's a twenty-three year old omega ..."

"And that concerns me because ..."

"He is very rebellious." Jay took the floor, his tone had a hint of desperation that the alpha could notice without any effort. "And when I say rebellious I mean the whole meaning of the word."

"Yes," It is her husband who interferes now, an ironically disgusting laugh escaping his lips. "He has this stupid idea of the independent and free omega, he thinks he can change the world. He's so wrong."

"And you have no omega, Harry ..." Anne said softly from her position, making Harry prostrate his gaze before her, trying to grasp what was happening. "You are a good businessman, with stability. They have something good to offer your father regarding their companies, and you can have someone to accompany you. You cannot be alone all your life, baby."

Gemma snorted from her position, but said nothing, making Harry understand the angry face that had been all over breakfast.

"But I want to be, why is it a problem for you?" He reproached his parents and then replaced his suit jacket, glancing at the Tomlinsons. "And you guys are actually throwing your own son into the arms of an alpha you don't even know?" His tone of voice was so harsh that none of those present said anything, so he just whispered a: "Charming, just charming."

"Don't be mad, son." Des asked sincerely. "It is the best for everyone."

Harry wanted to scream and tell him no, that was the best for them. But she decided not to, because she had seen in her parents' eyes that they would not stop until they did, so she curled her hands under the tables and brought her lips together in a fine line.

He would, of course, put on the best suit he had in his suitcase, comb his curly half-length hair, and be charmingly charming. He would go, talk to the omega, go back to the mansion and tell his parents no, and then catch the first plane to the United States.

The thing is, the boy ended up being everything Harry didn't think he was going to be.

When he entered the - according to his mother - large meeting room, the smell of vanilla mixed with caramel was so strong that it forced him to pout his nose. The windows gave a glimpse of every ray of sunshine that the United Kingdom gave away that morning. In the background, a large desk loomed, and he could see brown hair. The boy seemed to have his chin resting on the palm of his hand, in a clear gesture of boredom. Harry closed the door carefully and coughed twice, announcing that he had arrived.

Then she turned to him and looked at him.

The vanilla and caramel oozed nervously when they encountered the scent of the alpha, but the omega seemed to hide its status. Harry leaned closer and looked at him, matching his green with the sky blue and inspecting his plump cheeks. 

"So, it's you." Was all he said as he came around the desk to sit across from him. He dropped his body gracefully and looked at the boy's face, finding a triangle of polka dots and a stubble that slightly caught his attention. "What is your name, omega?"

The boy raised his eyebrows at Harry's phony professionalism and then groped for a half smile.

"Do you even care?" He answered ironically, separating himself from the table and leaning on the back of the chair.

"Not." Harry honestly. "But your parents do, so you should be interested."

"Yes, believe me," he continued with sarcasm mixing with a bit of a northern accent. "I was born for it, you know? Since I was little my dream was that I would be forced to marry an alpha that I don't even know and who, to top it off, stinks of rain and death. And now, you see, it's coming true. Lovely, I'm so, so excited about this. "

"Since when does the rain smell?"

"Has that really interested you from everything I've said?" The omega sighed. "And the rain has a smell since you exist."

"He had been listening to wet earth."

"It's rain."

Harry shrugged.

"Interesting."

"Yes, it is so interesting." He said rolling his eyes, exasperatedly bored with the conversation. "My name is Louis, and you are Harry."

"I am." He said as he clasped his hands on the table. "What is supposed to come next?"

Louis shrugged and his gaze traveled elsewhere. 

They sat for about three hours and the omega did not give his arm to twist at any time. He rolled his eyes at any question he asked about his life and dismissed every thought he gave him. 

When the four hours were up and he didn't have any kind of result, Harry crossed his legs and relaxed his brow.

"They treat you well?" He broke the silence, causing the omega to look up from wherever he was and look at him confused. "I mean your parents. They didn't speak highly of you, they seem to try to manage your life at all costs."

"Do you want me to make up the truth?" He questioned. "You know, that I tell you about all my dreams and projects being thrown away by them, but then I tell you that they actually do it because they love me so much and are scared of the idea of losing their only son, which to top it all He was fucking lucky to be born a stupid omega. "

Harry didn't think omegas were stupid ... Not in their entirety, at least. It was true that many thought of themselves as their mother did, but others did not. The omegas were, in fact, a fundamental pillar of the structured society in which they lived, however much that role was attributed to the alphas. The omegas not only gave the most important thing, which was life, but they were usually those who took care of social areas, kept families together and fought for their own. Even if they weren't allowed to meddle in alpha issues and problems, that didn't mean they weren't able to do just as well.

The very idea of taking away a person's value in some area because of the gender they were born with was disgusting to Harry.

But he didn't say any of that to her, he just placed his fingers against his lips and said:

"Do you always talk so much?" 

"Do you always force omegas to marry you?"

"No one is forcing you to marry me." Harry insisted. "Or if?"

Louis looked away and his jaw clenched.

"No, they don't treat me well." The omega answered the initial question after a few seconds, returning his gaze to Harry. His posture became harsher and his scent intensified more bitter. "Why would they do it in the first place? Now they have that business and have managed to buy a house in Kensington. I'm twenty-three years old, you know? I should be finishing a college degree ... and not here."

"You're not studying?" 

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Because it's weird." Harry returned. "Now they have money and they can afford to give you a good education ..."

"They do not want to."

"It does not enter my head why parents would not want their child to prosper professionally."

Louis sighed.

"That's because you don't have them." He said solemnly. "At first they wanted me to study something related to business, but it is not my area and I refused. And little by little they were abandoning that idea at all. Now the only thing they are interested in is that I get married and have puppies as soon as possible. And if it can be with an alpha who is drenched in money, "Louis pointed it out, obviously. "Well better."

"Would you like to go to college?"

"Why do you ask so many things?" The omega raised his brow at him, the blue completely invading him. "You seem interested, and I don't like that at all."

"Trust me, I'm not interested in you." Harry told him sincerely. "Don't be offended, but you're not even my type."

"Oh," Louis laughed, hiding his mouth behind his fistful hand. "I guess that's a compliment if it comes from someone who smells like rain."

Harry sighed heavily, a little tired of the sarcasm that had filled the entire conversation, and pulled himself back in his seat, moving closer to him.

"Wet land, but whatever." Harry waved his hand, uninterested in going back to correct him one more time. "What if we get married?"

Louis leaned his body back slightly, surprised at her words and began to frantically shake his head. 

"What?!" He exclaimed confused, jumping from his place and raising his hands. "Look Harry, don't get me wrong, but what you're saying is utter insanity." Louis nodded a little before turning his back on her and striding toward the door. 

"Louis..."

"Damn family," he muttered on his way. "Damn alpha, damn everyone."

"Hey Louis," Harry got up from his chair and called out to him confidently, coming around the table so they could get closer to him. "listen to me for a second."

Louis looked up at the ceiling and then sighed, turning to face him.

"You'll say?!" He demanded in a harsh tone, lifting his finger to dig into the alpha's chest. Harry didn't even flinch, didn't bother at his boldness or scowl, just looked at him paying attention to his words. "I just told you that they plan my whole fucking life and you suggest that we listen to them, you are giving it to them on a silver tray."

"Stop talking nonsense." Harry commanded in a grim tone, stretching his hands carelessly to tuck the omega's shoulders and silently force him to calm down. "You don't want an alpha and I don't want an omega."

"And that?" Louis allowed himself to be held by Harry, muttering sadly. "And why should we do what they want? That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Louis." Harry brought his lips together and thought, to speak again. But it is not fair that you do not study, it is not fair that they run your world. If you marry me, I will pay for your studies and give you a place to live. You will come with me to the United States, far enough away that you disturb. "

"And what do you get in return?" The omega asked suspiciously. "Don't think I'm going to-"

"Oh for the love of God, omega, let me finish." He asked him seriously. He got another turn of the eye from Louis, who pretending to be a neighbor narrowed his thin lips and let it go. "I win that my mother stops bothering me every only time I see her a year and that my father does not want me back in this disgusting place. You will have freedom there, you can do whatever you want. Once you are my omega," Harry made quotation marks with his hands. "Your parents won't have any kind of power over you."

"I do not believe you." Louis said, taking a step back. "I can't do it. How do you expect me to go to a country I don't know with any alpha?"

"I'm not just any alpha." Harry muttered annoyed. "And I've already told you that you're not even my type, you don't have to worry about me getting into your pants. It's not going to happen." I assure. "I give you my word as alpha."

Thus, a month later, Louis was bound for the United States.

The wedding had been celebrated in style, almost as if her parents already had it prepared in advance - which probably happened. They both met at the altar with long faces and did not speak much throughout the celebration. They pretended to be happy in front of other business alphas, took the wedding cake and received the gifts with a well-characterized false enthusiasm. For the wedding night, his families took him to a small villa owned by the Styles, and the two found themselves in front of a cold double bed. Harry could have sworn it was the longest night of his life, but Louis walked out with a mark on his neck.

Not true, obviously.

Louis had pushed his chin up and given him the space for Harry to bite down just enough to leave a mark, but not to dig in his fangs. The omega had ended up with a grimace of disgust all over his face and Harry hadn't even judged him, because he didn't want to imagine how invasive it was for any alpha to do something as intimate as bite your neck.

But there was the bite, making the Tomlinson's eyes shine especially and giving Louis the freedom to move in with Harry.

Harry went back over the message on his phone from an unknown number - not so clear, because Louis was introducing himself. He informed her that he had already ordered a taxi and would be there in an hour. The alpha glanced at the guest room he had arranged for Louis. He had put in a much more comfortable double bed and a closet big enough to accommodate everything he brought - he had taken pains to make it as adequate as possible.

The wait was long, television was doing nothing in his favor and his social networks seemed to be the most boring at the time. He threw himself on the sofa, pushed himself against the cushions and just stared at some point in the news being shown, thinking about how everything would change from now on. I really hoped that they could get to live together calmly and that each one was on their own matters.

When the bell rang a while later, Harry jumped out of his place and rushed to open the door. The scent of Louis completely washed over him and he found prominent dark circles that made him frown. He was wearing a white tracksuit that fitted around his waist, five suitcases were behind his back and he gently lifted the blue one towards him, colder than ever.

"Hi Louis," she greeted him confusedly, opening the door fully. "pass."

Louis nodded more to himself than to him and turned to collect his luggage, but Harry was quicker.

"No need, Harry." The omega insisted. "I can do it alone."

But Harry ignored it and gathered everything up, escorting Louis to his room. He explained everything he needed (where the kitchen was, where his company was in case he had to go see him and his hours) and the omega asked him if he could take a bath, so Harry pointed out that he had his own toilet.

The next two weeks consisted of a totally sad Louis, an almost vinegary smell melting into the walls throughout the house and Harry's alpha writhing about not knowing how to act in the face of the bitterness the omega proclaimed at all hours.

Louis paced the house erratically, shuffling his feet on the carpet when Harry offered him lunch or dinner, and sat across from him at the kitchen table, his hair tousled and his eyes heavy. He didn't think he was capable enough to ask her why he looked so miserable, just because he knew the answer and wasn't sure he was ready to talk about it.

Harry understood that Louis was feeling overwhelmed, because even being in his own city, with his usual job and the house he had chosen, he felt that way too. 

But he assumed it was the price of freedom.

The third week he started hitting him differently, and one Tuesday he knocked on Louis' door three times.

"Pass."

Harry supported the doorknob and walked through the doorway, finding the room perfectly done - except, of course, for the bulge under the bedspread. The room smelled slightly more of Louis, but the sadness still settled there. Only a little of her hair was showing against the pillow and she poked her eyes over the sheets when she heard him come in.

"Louis, get out of bed." Harry asked, not going too far into his space. 

"Not." Louis murmured, his voice against the fabric.

"Salt." He said again. "You can't be locked up and sad all day, it's not good."

"What will you know what is good for me or not?" He counterattacked the omega without fully revealing his face, but still rolling his eyes. "You do not even know me."

"I don't, you're right, but I know you want to go to college, so ..." Harry shrugged and held up his hands, showing the brown paper envelope he held between them. "Get out of that bed and I'll help you fill out the inscriptions."

"I do not want." She complained.

"Oh come on, omega," Harry muttered irritably. "Don't make me use my voice."

At the threat, Louis's eyes narrowed at him. He pulled the covers away and sat up, his lips in a defiant scowl.

"Hazlo."

Harry noticed the smell of the omega intensifying and stared at it, his jaw clenched. 

"No, I won't." He finally told her, letting himself win. "I'm going to go and you stay here, analyzing what you want. If you prefer to stay in that bed all your life, good for me. If instead what you want is a university degree, dinner awaits you kitchen, next to the inscriptions. "

Half an hour after that conversation, Harry was sitting at the kitchen table with two plates full of meat and vegetables in front of him and he heard small footsteps echoing down the hall. Louis poked his head around the archway. He seemed to have showered, because his hair fell wet on his forehead and he was wearing clean clothes. Harry let out a smile when he saw him sniffing the environment and then fixed his eyes on him.

"Can we have dinner first?" Louis asked, calm down. "Please."

"Sure, omega," Harry nodded, pointing to the plate in front of him. "Sit down."

They didn't talk much, but Harry heard a small groan as Louis pulled out of the envelope the at least twenty forms he had gotten for himself.

"But these are very expensive universities ..." His eyes searched the paper nervously. "I don't even know if I'm going to get a high enough grade for them."

"That's not important." Harry assured him from the sink as he washed the dinner plates. "Fill in the ones you like and when the admissions letters arrive, you will choose one."

At the end of the summer, Louis entered Columbia to study social work. He had chosen that university on the premise that it was close to home so he wouldn't have to move to a residence hall. He could go there, teach classes, and then come back. He complained a little about the amount of money the alpha was going to leave on his education, but he repeated ad nauseam that he didn't care and that, in the end, it was part of the deal they had both made.

His first day of school, Louis had arrived so exhausted that he had collapsed against the smaller sofa and Harry jumped as a tune echoed through the room. He walked over to the small hall by the front door and found Louis's cell phone, along with his keys. You could read "mom" on the identifier and he didn't hesitate for a second to pick up the hook.

"Son?" Jay's sweet voice was heard and Harry leaned against the wall.

"No," Le dijo bajo. "Harry."

"Harry, hi." He greeted him. "Can you pass me to Louis?"

"Actually, he is asleep."

"Oh."

"Yeah, you know," Harry coughed. "He has had his first day of college and has arrived very tired."

"College?" The woman's tone changed completely. "Harry, did you let him go to college?"

"Yes," he replied dryly. "any problem?"

"Yes," he told her. "de he-"

"Well, I don't care what you have to say." He cut it off. 

"You should." The woman limited. "He's my son."

"And my omega." Harry replied. "My husband. He bears my mark, ties us together. I mean, he's mine. And that means I'm the only one who has the right to tell him what to do or not."

"We made a deal."

"I don't care about the treatment." Harry sentenced. "You more than anyone know that once there is a bond, no one can question the omega more than its alpha."

"It's okay."

"And I'm not going to let Louis come to me telling me that you sued him for it." He demanded. "Neither does your husband."

A sigh was heard on the other end of the line, before she answered.

"Bien."

"I appreciate your understanding."

"Can you tell him that I called?"

Harry made a kind of affirmative sound, and then she hung up without saying goodbye.

Why was he betting so much on that omega? 

Even he didn't know.

Louis found out about the call a week later. They hadn't been talking much - in fact, not that they had before. Not regularly - because Louis was more focused on college. So Harry's routine remained the same: a tiring day at work, a shower, dinner, and sleep. Sometimes he alternated it with an outing with Niall or Liam, but nothing too serious, really. That day he was having another long day at his company, when Zayn, the omega who worked as his secretary, announced that someone wanted to see him.

Harry frowned in slight wonder, because that never happened.

"He says it's his omega ..." Zayn's voice sounded curious about it, perhaps because Harry hadn't said anything in the many years he had been there. Not that he was very attached to his employees, but he understood that he was struck by the fact that the eternal single Harry had an omega. "I haven't let it pass, clearly."

"Hell, Malik," Harry answered through the intercom with a little laugh. "He's my omega, he tells the truth."

"It's okay." He said calm. "I'll find him and tell him to come in."

Louis quickly opened the door shortly after, his face screwed up in a clearly visible scowl. He strode over to the desk Harry sat at and crossed his arms against his chest, one of his feet tapping the floor gently. He wanted to look intimidating, but Harry didn't find him anything but cute.

"May I know what you said to my mother?" She demanded in a dry tone of voice, moving her eyebrows at him.

Harry didn't even flinch, just kept his posture upright in the chair.

"I just gave him a couple of guidelines on how he should treat you from now on."

Louis muttered something unintelligible and defeated he dropped his shoulders, raising his hands in a gesture.

"It's my mother, alpha," he whispered. "I'm not supposed to act when it comes to me."

"I don't think it's too much of a problem for her." Harry told him sincerely, shrugging and his gaze traveling the omega as it took the seat across from him. "How did you know, anyway?"

"First, you didn't even delete the call. But that's okay, I guess all alphas believe you have the power to do whatever you want."

"We have it."

"I know, sadly you do." Louis sighed. "And second, it was obvious that I was going to figure it out when I told her about college and she didn't have a bad word for me."

"Wasn't that what I promised you?" Harry cocked his head towards him and gave him a vague smile. "I told you that here you were going to have all the freedoms you wanted, I'm just keeping my word."

"But I can deal with my family myself." Louis replied. "It's okay that you want to take care of everything, but you don't have to."

"You're just starting college Louis, the least you need right now are petty problems."

"What did you say to him?"

"Does it matter?"

Louis no longer questioned his - poor, but apparently effective - arguments, only told him that he was not going to thank him for something he had not asked for in the first place and left as he had arrived.

At the end of December, around Christmas, and when they had been living together for almost five months, Louis spent three months as a student. The university absorbed him completely, Harry didn't even hear him strolling into the kitchen in the middle of the night. Louis began to go out a lot more, bringing books and books, reading for hours under his desk light and occasionally leaving a note on the fridge informing him that he was going to long study sessions.

Her mother had called and asked what exactly it was that she had discussed with Mrs. Tomlinson. Harry refused to explain and repeated the same disgusting speech. Sure, he didn't think the omega was his, and even if it was, he wouldn't be in a position to decide for it. But his old-fashioned parents did, so he sold the story wonderfully to an Anne who soon after decided not to ask any further.

They spent Christmas together, obviously, but without making much of a celebration. Harry cooked something for both of them for Christmas and at the end of the year, Louis left with his new friends and Harry with his. The routine continued as usual, the omega promptly returned to the university and he to his affairs.

One of the many cold nights in January, Harry was lying on the couch. He had eaten something overheated and lay down because his back pain had worsened after a long business meeting. The television was doing a good job of distracting him, but then the door stumbled open.

A long laugh rang out all over the place and Harry peeked across the couch, finding the omega staggering in front of him.

The alpha smell it gave off was strong and Harry's chest contracted for a few seconds as he began to feel threatened. His eyebrows drew together in confusion and Louis smirked at him.

"Al-" Hipó. "alfa."

"Louis?" Harry glanced at the clock behind him, discovering it was barely eleven at night and trying to ignore his alpha's complaints. What is that? He said, why do you let him bring the smell of another alpha into your home? "God," he muttered to himself and watched as he lost his balance a little, causing him to almost fall. He got up and approached carefully, scooping up her arm. "Your first college party, right?"

Louis threw his head back with a bubbly smile and let himself be done against the alpha.

"Of course, Harold, of course."

She didn't say anything at the mention of that stupid name, just shook her head repeatedly and helped him get to bed. 

If Harry believed that their wedding night had been the worst of all, this was far more than that.

She had been taking care of him all night, sitting in front of his bed reading something on his laptop in the hope that Louis wouldn't choke on his own vomit. The omega, however, hadn't been a lot of work, but each time he let out a little sigh the smell of another alpha filled the entire room, causing Harry to close his eyes.

Soon after, she found out whose scent it was.

It was Saturday and he was on his weekend off, then he would go with Niall and Liam for some beers, but first he had to look at some last minute reports that had come in to him, so he was sitting at the dining room table which, coincidentally It connected with the living room and the front door.

He was immersed in the papers, which didn't help to ignore the sound the door made when it opened.

Louis passed first, wearing a blue tracksuit that clung to every part of his body and a grin from ear to ear. After that, an alpha stepped inside. Harry tensed instantly when he recognized the scent and closed his mouth, clenching his jaw so hard it felt like it might break. He kept his gaze fixed until he met Louis's eyes. The omega was not embarrassed about bringing an alpha home (should he? Harry analyzed. No, not really. That was the agreement, Louis was free to do whatever he wanted. Harry had promised), instead. He picked up the boy's hand and pushed him where he was.

"Hello, Harry." She greeted him, wrinkles swirling in her eyes and a folder full of sheets in her free hand. "Look, this is Sam."

The boy was blond, with light eyes. She was wearing a kind of black turtleneck sweater that closed off sharp cheekbones and pink lips. She smiled at him with a polite nod. Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably as his alpha began to squirm inside his chest.

"Hi Louis," she returned the greeting, then felling her gaze on the other boy. "Hello Sam."

"Let's go to study." Louis announced. "It's okay?"

Harry brought his lips together and raised his hands.

"Ahead." Told him. "It is your house."

Louis nodded to him with a vague smile and then turned, pushing Sam back into his room.

When the door closed, Harry's eyes traveled to the papers. 

He swallowed hard and pushed them away.

The presence of this alpha became normal in his house and, apparently, in Louis's life. He began to "study" a lot more, he went out to party and came back at midnight, hitting himself with the things he found on his way, and the next morning his dark circles were big and Harry could not do more than sigh and put a forceful breakfast in front to the.

On one of those many study afternoons they both had, Harry walked up to Louis' door with a pile of clean clothes in his hands. In his defense, he could tell that he didn't even know the omega was there - his only mission was to leave Louis's clothes on the corner of his bed. But it is what it is, so he rounded the knob and opened it carelessly.

He didn't expect what he saw at all, of course.

The first thing was the smell impacting all over his face, alpha and omegaba mixed, in a fun party of pheromones that fluttered in the air. The second was Louis, who was straddling Sam, who was shirtless. The alpha had the omega's entire waist encircled and he was pulling him against him at will.

Harry took a step back when they both quickly turned their heads to look at him and he felt like his head was going to explode.

He couldn't do more than close the door behind him.

Sam came out of his room dressed shortly after, and raised his hand in a somewhat awkward parting. Harry simply stayed in place at the end of the room, standing, not saying much when he saw Louis come out to say goodbye to him. The omega turned when the front door was closed and Harry could make out soft purple circles marked on his chest.

"Harry." He vocalized calmly, approaching the sofa. "Me-"

"You don't have to apologize for having a life, omega." It cut him off, before he could say anything. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, nervous. "I just wish I didn't run into it nose to nose."

"It's okay." Louis nodded to the point of blushing, sitting carefully on one end of the sofa when he saw Harry approach. "I'll let you know next time."

"No, that's worse." Harry shook his dry throat and took the position from the other place, looking him straight ahead. Louis stared at him blankly, biting his inside cheek. "He's my alpha, Louis. I can't control him. He squirms when he smells someone else in his house."

Louis gave a nervous sigh but didn't answer.

Sam didn't show up at her house again.

Which seemed to change Louis completely, actually.

It was two in the morning when Harry heard the front door. Something bounced off the floor but he didn't even pay attention to it, all he did was turn to the other side of his bed and close his eyes. He tried to sleep until his door was opened and a slit of light slipped through. Caramel and vanilla got to him, combining flushed blue eyes and tousled bangs. Louis kicked off his shoes, carefully closed the door, and lazily walked over to him. He didn't say hello, didn't ask if he was awake, all he did was stretch the jumbled sheets and push himself against her back.

Harry couldn't help but encircle her waist.

From that night on, the two of them became terribly close, though neither of them admitted it out loud. Louis seemed to have taken every right on Harry and walked around the house doing whatever he wanted. She would study in the living room and watch him from the table, while making sarcastic comments. He also waited the whole time for Harry to cook for him, and would sulk if he didn't. Others just lay beside him while he was watching television, purring as he waited for Harry to raise his hands and stroke the back of his neck.

And the nights. God, the nights.

Louis would show up at dawn, when he thought Harry was asleep - but he wasn't, clearly, his eyes wandering around that door until it was opened. She crawled across the large mattress to him and snuggled. Sometimes their waists clashed more than they should, other times Louis leaned his head against the alpha's chest and let himself be enveloped by his scent. Harry tried to curb the urge to hug him, but it was impossible and he quickly saw himself wrapping his arms around him.

Then each morning, Louis would wake up alone in bed, to the smell of tea oozing through the house, and he would drag his bare feet until he peeked into the kitchen to find Harry reading the newspaper. The alpha just smiled at him, said good morning, and held out a plate of food to him.

Neither of them talked about why they slept together. Harry never asked Louis why he had started breaking into his room at night. Never. They didn't say, even though Harry knew that Louis was coming towards him with the scent of another alpha hidden under some strong perfume and Louis probably knew that he was waiting awake.

But there was absolutely nothing Harry could do to fight it. He was trying to ignore all the signals that went up every time he brushed against Louis, but it had been impossible. He was always spellbound watching him give his soliloquies about the problems that affected them as a society. Harry listened to him without speaking, he inspected his blue eyes wide with passion for what he was saying and his legs trembled. 

Harry fell apart and his alpha agreed with him in response.

It took a while, but he realized he was officially screwed on what he would rate as the third-worst-night of his life.

She was putting on some kind of red sweater that she had just bought that Niall had told her looked great on her. He had the large mirror of his closet in front of him and he was looking at the skinny jeans he had chosen to match.

The door slid open gently and Louis leaned out. 

His hair was much longer, he seemed to be making it as long as hers. Her bangs already fell almost to her jaw and could sometimes be tied up with little ribbons. Harry thought it looked great on him, come on, in sight he was - despite Louis pouting and saying he wanted to have it as kinky as the alpha. 

He was spectacularly handsome, although Harry only tried to glance at him.

"Are you going out?" I ask. He had a kind of polito that tightened against the muscles of his arms and black pants that highlighted his waist. 

"Yes," the alpha replied, tousling his curls and looking in the mirror one last time, to give his outfit approval. "Niall told me they have opened a new nightclub near Williamsburg."

Louis's eyes lit up at the mention.

"I'm going out with some colleagues, maybe we'll meet over there." 

And, of course, they met.

Harry entered through the door of the bar, preceded by Niall, Liam and a few others. Pop music blared loudly, and a tide of bodies gathered in the center. Smells blended all over the place, making it impossible to recognize anyone. Liam yanked his arm to one of the corners, on whose table a "reserved" role stood out. Niall laughed out loud as he threw himself on the couch and picked up a cigar offered by someone in his fingers. Harry calmly poured himself a drink and the night began.

"Hey Harry," Niall asked at some point. "How did you tell me it was Louis?"

Harry took a sip from his glass and turned his head to look at Niall.

"Medium height, blue eyes, jaw-length hair, a little beard." Harry replied laughing. "A heart attack waist, I have to say. And good arms."

"AHA." Answered. "What was his smell?"

"Vanilla and caramel." Harry frowned at that question, puzzled. "Because what you say?"

Niall's lips curled together and he nodded as Harry's head automatically snapped back to the back of the disco. It was the smell of Louis. It was. He was puffing above everyone else, almost skimming the ceiling, he was sour, scared. And then it just disappeared.

Harry put the glass down as soon as he added two plus two and walked around Niall to get onto the dance floor. He dodged the bodies that clung to each other and pushed the front door with an almost bestial force, getting the air of London to fill his face.

He sniffed softly and turned his head to either side, following Louis's trail.

Harry had never hit anyone as hard as he did that night with Sam.

He scooped Louis up in his arms, while the blonde moaned from the ground at the blood that gushed from his nose. Harry stroked Louis's jaw, which was turning red from the pressure the other alpha had put on it, and sighed.

He didn't say goodbye to Niall or Liam, he called a cab where a beta met him and he gave him his address, then bellowed in his alpha voice for him to hurry.

Louis looked dizzy, his eyes falling gently into a mixture of panic and alcohol. He didn't say much, he just seemed to sob into his arms as Harry opened the door to the house and led him to his room.

He opened the bed for both of them and gently laid Louis on it, his alpha roaring with rage in his chest.

She lay down in front of him, meeting his watery eyes.

Louis let go of a sad smile and his hand traveled through the blankets to finish on Harry's cheek.

"I wish I had fallen in love with you." He said softly, almost as if it were a secret. "It would have been easier, you know?"

Harry swallowed hard and whispered:

"I wish you had."

Harry spent the next month unable to get the image of Sam shoving Louis against the wall out of his head. The blonde's eyes were puffy with rage and Harry nearly threw up when he saw how he was preparing to hit Louis.

But nevertheless, he never asked what had happened. Honestly, he doesn't even care. All he knew was that Sam had been disrespectful and assaulted Louis, and that had been enough that, the next school day after that, Harry decided to leave his work early and go to the university parking lot. 

His black Mercedes stood out more than he thought (that's why the expensive college, you know) and the alpha smiled when he heard the students leaving. He leaned against the hood, still clad in his black suit and sunglasses hiding his eyes. 

It didn't take long for Louis to come out and connect his eyes with him. He said something to the boy accompanying him, who let out a small laugh and then went to where the alpha was.

The sadness of the weekend was completely gone. He wore a sweatshirt that covered his cuffs and the backpack hung from a single handle. 

"Harry?" He asked once he was in front of him, ignoring the stares of the other students. 

"Louis." Harry smirked, pulling off the bonnet and moving gently closer to him. He made a small nod toward the car. "Come on?"

"Why have you come, anyway?" The omega raised his eyebrows. "I have smelled the rain and blackberry from the end of the hall." He confessed to him. "Absolutely disgusting and overwhelming smell, I have to say."

"Wet earth." He corrected him, moving to the right side to open the door for him. Louis laughed at the action, but heeded it and sat in the passenger seat. Harry followed the omega and pushed himself against the driver's. "And it's not gross, in fact, everyone says it's a pretty good combination."

"I've never met someone who smelled blackberry, so I don't know what to tell you."

Harry gave a soft laugh and then shook his head, starting the car.

"Would you like to go eat?" He suggested sideways as he pulled the car out of the parking lot. "You have to be hungry."

"Harry, really," Louis tensed his voice, turning in his seat to look at the alpha- who avoided his gaze. "Why did you come?" Faced with his silence, the omega decided to continue: "It's because of Sam, right? You don't want me to cross paths with him? He's not even at this university."

At the mere mention of that man, the scent of the alpha began to envelop most of the car, becoming much stronger and Harry had to close his lips tightly so that a growl did not escape his lips.

"Do not mention it." He asked in a silent plea. "Don't say her name."

The omega sighed heavily.

"You have no need to do these things ..." Louis told him seriously. "You don't have to defend me, or make my life easier. You are not my alpha."

Harry shook his head, before stopping at a stoplight and daring to look at Louis.

"I didn't say that."

"I know," Louis hid his eyes from him. "But you act like you are."

Well, Harry just bit his tongue and kept going.

Because Louis was right.

Then she took him to Marty's, where they made the best burgers in all of New York, and the food seemed to defuse the discussion. Louis didn't say anything more to him - maybe because he knew his stubbornness - and Harry started picking him up every other day. It became a habit, the alpha leaning against his car every afternoon. Sometimes food awaited them at home, other times Harry would discover new places for him.

So, they had gone from sharing at least half a day to sharing it fully. Louis hadn't complained in the least, delighted with Harry's caresses as they criticized the reality shows on television. Harry had slowly been dazzled by his northern English humor. Now Louis would appear from time to time in his office, and study in a corner, not saying anything. 

But all good things are short-lived, so on Louis' spring break, his parents suggested that the two of them fly to the UK and spend it as a family.

The omega had raised his eyes through the phone where the video call was still connected and had knit his eyebrows. Harry had watched him from across the couch, in his pajamas, with a cup of tea in his hands. He had sighed heavily and then nodded.

He wasn't going to deprive Louis of seeing his family, toxic as it was.

On the day they had the plane to Europe, Louis crawled in bed in the morning and simply raised his head, exposing his neck. Harry gulped and his alpha began to sway happily at such a subtle offer. Louis didn't even look at him, just closed his eyes and waved him to start. 

In the midst of sleep and awakening, Harry pressed his nose to Louis's skin, intensifying his scent. A slight chill ran through her body as she opened her mouth slightly and sank her teeth against the omega's neck. Louis moaned softly in response, pressing his hand against the sheet under Harry's body. At that action, Harry couldn't help but squeeze a little more, beginning to notice the slight line that separated a bite from a ribbon. Louis didn't even claim, all he did was press himself closer against Harry's wet lips. But alpha forced himself to stop.

He parted as if his skin burned and looked at the omega's neck. The mark was there, simulating a tie.

Louis didn't open his eyes and Harry lifted his hand to gently caress her, having thoughts he would never confess out loud.

They did not speak during the entire trip. 

Not until they reached the Styles' grand mansion.

There, Louis stopped him abruptly before entering.

"Hey, alpha," he muttered for the first time in hours. His suitcases rested in his hands and his gaze traveled all over Harry's face. "There is one thing that maybe I should have told you."

Harry put his luggage aside and looked at it.

"What happens?"

"My parents ..." He said. "They believe ... You know, the marriage has prospered."

Harry sighed heavily, but didn't let him notice.

"Why haven't you told me?"

"It wasn't my fault," Louis defended himself. "It was all your speech about is my omega, my husband, he is mine, mine and mine alone. When I spoke with my mother shortly after she told me everything."

"So you knew," Harry knitted his eyebrows. "And yet you asked me what I had said."

"That doesn't matter," he told her. "The thing is, you were such a good actor that my mother believed it."

Harry didn't know at this point if that speech was so far from reality, so he dropped his shoulders and nodded.

"Okay, okay." He said to then collect his luggage again. "We will act then."

The first day was not difficult, because the Tomlinson couple had not yet arrived. Harry hugged his parents with a lack of sympathy, and then told them they were tired and wanted to sleep. Louis lay down on one side of the king size and Harry on the other.

It was the first night in months that they slept apart.

At the next dinner, a smiling Jay greeted them in the dining room. She ran up and wrapped her arms around Louis, splashing kisses on his cheeks - Harry seemed to be the only one to notice her scowl. The alpha tried to get into the role, letting Louis's father pat his back and congratulate him on being such a good alpha. He thanked her without elaborating and took his place at the table.

Their parents talked about everything a bit and filled them with questions. Louis was the only one able to answer them all, because Harry got lost in his tea.

I didn't feel like being there. He hated Britain, he hated his family, he hated the Tomlinsons, and he hated the idea of having to be pretending to Louis that they were a happy marriage.

Harry didn't want to discuss the idea, but he knew perfectly well that what had happened in his apartment the day before before going to the UK had made a difference. It was not only that Harry had exposed himself terribly, but also that Louis had not rejected him at all.

And now they were there, in that cold mansion. He had Louis by his side, but he didn't feel like Louis. He wasn't lanky and sarcastic, he didn't wear a tracksuit that clung to his hips and highlighted every one of his handsome features. Louis covered his mouth with a soft laugh and cautiously accepted everything his parents told him.

Louis seemed like a good actor ... And he didn't like that.

He liked the Louis who came to the house at late hours and made disgustingly bad jokes, making him laugh. The one who stuck his cold feet on the alpha's back and laughed at him, with the excuse that his skin burned. Three thousand times he preferred the smiling Louis he saw coming out of the faculty buildings. The one who talked about the distinctions of races and genders and went every Saturday to work at an association to accompany omegas with broken ties.

That was Louis, the real Louis ... his Louis.

"Harry," Anne caught his eye as Harry was about to finish his scrambled eggs, forcing him to observe the picturesque scene that was presented to him. "How come you allowed Louis to go to college?"

"Hmm," Harry wiped his mouth and then looked at his mother. "Why wouldn't I allow it?"

"He has to give you puppies." Jay agreed.

"He will give me whatever I want him to give me," Harry sentenced, his gaze traveling to Des and Mark, who said nothing. It seemed that being alphas, they understood Harry perfectly. Which their mothers didn't, apparently, and they had no qualms about making it clear. "I thought that was already clear."

"Not enough." Anne continued. "We want grandchildren."

"And I want you to let us live our lives, is it too much to ask?" Harry spat, clenching his fist against the table and looking at his mother. "Answering your question: Yeah, I'm going to let him go to college because I feel like it, okay? Louis is studying social work and he's happy with it, so it's okay with me. And we'll have puppies whenever we want . " He was more frustrated than he could control, so he let his chair roll back, standing up. "I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my omega alone for the fucking time, or I'm going to get mad. And you don't want to see that. You absolutely don't."

The table fell into a terrible silence, so Harry turned and left.

Half an hour later, he was sitting on her bed. Her elbows were on her knees and she was digging her fingers into her hair. I was so confused. He didn't understand what was happening to him, nor could he differentiate the feeling that mixed in his chest every time he spoke of Louis as his. It was all a jumble of things, something that began to beat in his chest and his alpha corroborated happily, rocking internally and burning in flames.

Harry simply wanted to rip out his heart.

Two knocks on the door snapped him out of his reverie and he muttered a sad, inaudible "pass." Soon he heard Louis's characteristic shuffling and his face sunk deeper.

"Alpha." Louis muttered, closing behind him and moving closer. Something sank into the mattress beside him and he felt the omega's delicate hand resting on his back. The touch was so basic, but it provoked so much in him that it completely scared him. "What happened down there?"

Harry gulped and held his posture.

"I'm tired, just that."

Louis clicked his tongue at the evasion, but did not probe further. He heavily accepted what little Harry had to offer him.

"We will sleep then." He told him, getting up from the bed and opening the duvet, getting Harry to look up. "Come here with me."

Harry did not affirm or deny, he crawled through and crawled down, his back to her.

Louis sighed heavily and circled his waist, pulling him against his chest. The difference in height was noticeable, but the omega managed well to make Harry comfortable.

Then Harry noticed a kiss on the back of his neck and heard "tomorrow is another day."

It wasn't, of course. 

That's what Harry's life had been about lately: things that never ended. 

Harry tried to be a little more peaceful, he approached his mother before breakfast and asked for her forgiveness, but also understanding. The omega nodded her sad eyes and promised she wasn't going to push him any more. He truly appreciated it, with the first true smile he'd given his mother in what seemed like years.

Later, their parents suggested that they go shopping because they had been invited to a business party and wanted them to become known as a married couple.

Harry never wanted to be introduced in society, he had always refused despite the insistence of his parents, and from the look Louis gave him, he guessed that neither did he. But they were there to pretend, weren't they? They had married in front of relatives and business alphas, they had grabbed his hands and Harry had bitten his neck as if they had formed a bond. They could handle that, clearly.

When the two met in the bedroom again, Harry asked him to get ahead of those purchases, because he had things to do.

Those things were nothing.

He was just looking for an excuse to get away, he didn't want to have Louis hovering around him because he couldn't bear it. His head ached at the very thought and his alpha roared with desire. I couldn't take it anymore. I was totally serious.

Louis left in the morning and did not appear until the evening, when Harry was already falling asleep.

It was the second time they slept apart.

Harry felt the loneliness and the coldness, but it was only fair.

It was. 

He wanted to be aware of that. He had to tell himself that Louis wasn't his omega as many times as it took.

Because that way, maybe he ended up believing it.

The night of the party, Harry donned a black suit with a black button-up shirt and let his wet hair fall to his shoulders. He placed the watch on his wrist and looked at himself in the mirror. He sighed heavily and then went downstairs to find the waiting car. In it, Louis was already inside. She only raised her eyebrows when she saw him enter, in a cold, empty greeting. Harry leaned against the glass and didn't speak.

The second time he saw the omega at the party, it was around midnight. They had arrived a couple of hours earlier, had greeted acquaintances of their parents, and then had parted ways. Louis ran into a friend who took him to the other end of the party room to share a drink and Harry let himself be taken over by an investor he knew from some businesses in the US. They hadn't talked all night, they hadn't even shared a glance, and neither seemed to be on the job.

Not at least until something began to settle in the alpha's chest. It seemed that someone was pressing his chest and breaking each of his muscles, his body took an involuntary step back from the pain and the man in a suit in front of him frowned at the sight.

"It's okay?" He asked politely, setting his glass aside and raising his hand, but Harry withdrew.

"Yeah, just-" He sighed. "My chest."

"Your omega." Was all the man answered.

Harry licked his lips and nodded, apologizing to the man. He cut all the way to the patio of the living room, but couldn't find it. Neither near the bar, nor on the improvised classical dance floor, nor at the tables where everyone gathered. 

The only thing left was the bathroom, so he went into the hall.

When he opened the door, the scent washed over him completely.

He opened each cubicle until he reached the last one, where a couple of mute sounds were heard and he gave two sharp knocks on it.

"Opens!" He bellowed, his alpha taking over every part of his skin, his hands shaking and his feet itching. It was going to explode. "Open up now, Louis."

Someone seemed to say something behind, until a bolt was heard and then the door opening.

He came face to face with Louis's friend, shirtless.

Harry wished he hadn't acted like that, but he couldn't do anything.

He grabbed the top of the boy's head with his big hand and pushed him out, pulling him towards the exit door.

"Why are you touching a marked omega ?!" He yelled at him, kicking his foot. The alpha blinked still from the ground. "Don't go near him again." He ordered, his fangs struggling to get out. "Don't touch him again or I swear I'll tear your skin apart."

The alpha nodded at his commanding voice and was soon running away.

That was the moment when Harry was able to breathe properly and began to regret it.

"Alpha ..." He heard behind him, the whisper of Louis's soft voice waking him completely. Harry turned ruefully and then their eyes met again. "I'm not marked, why did you do that?"

"You can't-" Harry muttered before sighing heavily and leaning against the sink, his chest still contracting. "You can't do that Louis." He rambled. "You just can't."

Louis nodded more to himself than to Harry and cautiously took two steps back, both looking at each other through the mirror.

"Why?" He demanded calm, looking for the alpha to say something that, of course, he was not going to say.

Because he's your omega, his alpha screamed, he is. Tell her.

Harry shook his head and turned to face him.

Louis was gorgeous in that blue suit. It highlighted the color of her eyes and her cheeks, it was so pretty. And it made Harry shiver and melt completely without even intending to.

The alpha approached him and took him by surprise when he placed his hands on his waist. He circled Louis effortlessly and gently tilted his nose to his neck. Vanilla and caramel intensified from the action, sneaking into Harry's alpha, who was smiling happily.

"No ..." Harry murmured against the younger's skin. "You can't Louis, you're not even lubricated, I can tell. I know what's wrong with you. You didn't want to do that. You don't have to do this kind of thing to prove yourself a point."

Louis kept his hands at his sides and trembled at the contact.

"Since when do you know what I want or what I don't?" He contradicted in a low tone.

"Since my chest hurts every time it hurts you." 

The alpha allowed his lips to finally rest fully on Louis's neck, and he left a chaste kiss before withdrawing.

"Take me Home." Louis asked him after that. "Please."

Harry told his parents that they were leaving because he wasn't feeling very well, and called the driver. They both made their way in silence and Louis took off his shoes once they entered the room. Harry let him rest the bed and walked off to the bathroom. 

He came out a couple of minutes later.

"Lou." He called him from the door. "I have prepared a bath for you."

Louis nodded and got up without a word, simply letting his hand rest on Harry's shoulder - in silent thanks - before shutting himself behind the door.

The alpha sighed when he lost sight of the omega and took off his suit, only to throw himself against the blankets and cover himself up to his head.

Louis took just under half an hour to get out, wearing the white bathrobe and underwear as the only outfit. Her hair still fell over her jaws, framing her entire face. It seemed that the bathroom had helped clear his thoughts, because he walked over to the bed and lay down in front of him.

It was at that moment that Harry looked at the omega lying beside him and found the blue stronger than ever, blazing through the faint light that illuminated them. He raised his hand carefully, circling the cheek of Louis, who from his place gave him a tender smile. The caramel and vanilla odor of the omega filled his nostrils making him feel safe enough to caress her skin lovingly and reach for him.

And then their lips just met.

Harry's alpha screamed at him inwardly, roaring with pleasure as the omega's pompous lips caught his and he fell apart in his arms. Harry pressed him closer to him, bringing both bodies together and allowed himself, for the first time in months, to let himself be done before the omega.

That night, the omega and alpha finally found themselves.

Louis groaned in pleasure under Harry's body for hours, causing his entire system to completely collapse and his eyes to become a mass of pleasure and pain. Their scents came together creating fire ... And Harry realized, knew he had fallen for Louis.

He confirmed it was his omega.

The next day, Harry woke up alone in the great room. He found, sadly, that nothing woke him up more than waking up alone. His gaze traveled all over the place in search of an absent Louis, of whom there was no trace.

"This morning he said something to his parents ..." Anne told him when Harry came down the stairs terrified and the smell of Louis had vanished. "And they are gone."

Harry drove for hours to Louis's parents' residence. The whole ride in the car was absolutely terrifying for him, because he couldn't find a single explanation for what was happening. 

When the door opened, Jay knitted his eyebrows at him and didn't ask, just told him to go upstairs and that he would find Louis in the room at the end of the hall.

The omega looked at him from the desk when he opened the door and didn't even seem surprised. The alpha, instead, lost all strength as soon as it hit his blue. He let his shoulders sag, defeated by the situation, and in a tone so low it was barely understandable, he asked:

"What have I done, omega? Why have you left?"

Louis swallowed slightly.

"It wasn't your fault."

"So?"

"When I came downstairs smelling of you ..." He whispered. "My parents' eyes were so bright, they were so proud and happy of their work, it seemed they had succeeded. And I ... I just couldn't." He confessed sadly. "Sorry, Harry."

The next month after that, it was total torture for Harry.

The alpha hadn't pressed any more, he had accepted lamely the explanation Louis gave him to break his heart. And he had let time pass, because he could not force the omega to stay by his side. Not if he didn't want to. Not if I didn't want it.

The two returned to the United States together, but without much to do. Things were not the same again, sadly. They no longer spoke, they barely communicated for the basics. Louis was spending much more time away, seemed to have found a job and a new group of friends.

Harry was still Harry.

He would maintain his daily work routine, endure long meetings and then arrive at a lonely house. He would lie on the bed without having eaten and his alpha would then begin to complain. Because he was missing Louis, because he couldn't live another day without him ...

And it was all so difficult.

Louis had started leaving her money for household expenses on the kitchen table, where they hardly met on Friday nights and dined in complete silence.

Harry became more locked into his work, spent the entire month losing his mind between reports until Niall chimed in saying he had had enough of his depression, and started taking him out of the house on weekends.

So, they didn't even see each other for that weekly dinner anymore.

One of the many outings culminated in Harry meeting a pretty omega.

Her name was Emily, she was a redhead and worked as the CEO of a company close to hers. First it had been a funny coincidence, then a topic to talk about and soon they began to meet in some meetings, recognizing each other in the back of the room - the girl would raise her eyebrows gracefully and Harry would nod in response.

Soon after, Emily had his phone number and had asked him out.

Harry had raised his eyes to the closed door of Louis's room thinking how hard it was to act like he didn't know who his omega was, he had sighed and answered yes.

He and Emily had been dating sporadically for a couple of months now. It was nothing serious, clearly, but they both shared great sex, talked about common themes, and laughed for hours. Harry was as happy as he could be, as much as his alpha let him be. He couldn't ignore the chest pain that crossed every now and then, nor could he stop remembering Louis's lips. But he was doing well, he was trying at least.

One night he and Emily had been drinking wine for hours, sharing a plate of pasta in the dim light of a restaurant. She had started to insinuate herself and then she had frowned, because her home was so far from there. Harry had raised his eyebrows at her, because he had never brought her home.

But the air hit different this time, so she smiled at him from her spot.

"We're going home." He said without thinking too much.

She nodded happily and called a taxi.

There didn't seem to be anyone in the apartment when they arrived, it was completely silent, with its lights off. Harry tried not to make a sound, but failed miserably when he crashed into the sofa. The omega laughed out loud as she pushed him across the hall, and then they both flopped backwards against the bed.

When he opened his eyes again, the omega rested beside him. He smiled happily and placed a kiss on the top of her head, before getting up. He bathed nonchalantly and went out into the kitchen.

Louis was watching him from the table.

Harry stopped short when he saw him, with those dark circles lowered his eyes and his gaze fixed on him. He seemed totally miserable, maybe too many hours of study, maybe too many parties. Harry couldn't tell anymore, because they weren't talking, and he didn't even seem to have the strength to ask, so he muttered a coarse "hello" and turned to the counter to get his tea. When Louis heard her voice, her scent intensified in the air. Vanilla and caramel resurfaced and mingled with Harry. She would never admit out loud how her entire body had tensed just because she had so missed smelling Louis.

God, he had missed Louis so much.

"Alpha." The omega replied instead.

Harry nodded in some kind of affirmation and took the tea in his hands, to sit down opposite Louis.

"Dime."

Louis's nose pouted softly and then he placed his hands on the table. 

"Why do you smell like omega?"

Harry circled the mug and scowled at him.

"Because she's lying on my bed."

Louis nodded and ran his tongue over his lips, nodding, making a kind of gesture - hinting that it was what he supposed.

"And because?"

Harry put the tea aside, confused.

Why was he asking that? Didn't he have the right to make his life? Louis had ventured into the story just like him, but it was only Harry who had been damaged. He had every right to spend time with someone, to rebuild his life and get over what had happened.

"Why do you care?" He questioned from his place, in a clearly annoyed voice. "Should I have asked your permission?"

"That's not how things work, Harry." The omega replied, his scent completely filling the entire room, almost overshadowing Harry's. His anger was visible and Harry's alpha was ordering him to get up from that chair to go wrap his arms around him. To calm him down and let him know that it was there, that it was his, no one else's. But I cant. Harry mustered all his strength not to. "You can't do that kind of thing."

"It's not important." Harry slurred the words. But the problem is that it was, clearly. They both knew it. "And this is also my house, that is, I can bring whoever I want."

Determined not to continue the conversation, Harry rose from his seat and tossed the contents of his mug into the sink.

But Louis didn't seem to think the same.

"You did it." The omega reproached him, his voice growing harsher. "You complained about Sam, and I didn't bring him back."

Harry stabbed his green into him, tighter than ever. Sam was an entirely different story, that petty alpha didn't even deserve a mention from Louis. He could have yelled at him that he was different, that that son of a bitch treated him badly, that he beat him for who knows how long until Harry had to witness it. He could have told him he wasn't so wrong when he felt threatened by him. But he ended up preferring not to, not remembering anything about him was the best - because then his alpha would start to creak and growl.

"Don't tell me what to do or not to do."

Louis apparently took offense at it, because he let the chair roll back and got up. His posture was more hunched in clear defense, and his jaw was set. 

"It's not fair," Louis said narrowing his eyes. "It's not fair, Harry. You know that."

"It's not fair?" Harry decided to turn to face him. "What's not fair is what you are doing."

Louis blinked at him.

They were so close. Harry could reach up and stroke his neck, where a trace of the bite made to go to London could still be seen. 

"What am I supposed to be doing?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Seriously, say it, enlighten me the fucking time, because I don't understand. This is my home too, I have every right to feel threatened by the smell of another omega."

Harry shifted his weight from one leg to the other and had to close his eyes, letting out a sad sigh.

"Just-" He whispered. "You can't give it all to me, Louis. Not if you're going to take it from me later. It's not fair that you come up to me and bring me to my knees, then just stomp on me and leave me on the ground." Pain mixed with the scent of alpha. "What happened after that night was completely up to you. I would have given anything, omega, anything fucking in my power to have you every night. It was you who didn't want to."

Louis winced slightly at her words and all the anger seemed to quickly dissipate.

"It's so complicated," he defended himself. "you do not understand."

"You know that I understand your desire to be free, that you want to build a career and be financially independent. I know you don't want to give your parents the pleasure of believing that they have managed to manage your life, but ..." Harry sighed and combed his curls. , trying not to lose focus by how the blue glowed in the dim kitchen light. "Since I met you and you came, I told you that you were going to have that freedom."

"I know," Louis agreed with him, in a soft whisper. "and I appreciate it."

"I know you do, just-" Harry snorted taking a step back away from Louis because he was driving him crazy. The sweet smell, her clear eyes, her skin glowing in the light. Harry was losing what little sanity he had left. "You are so focused on them ... You are so focused on showing them that you are not what they are trying to impose on you, believing that you are doing what you want when in reality you are depriving yourself of what you want."

At his words, the omega looked at the ground and bit his cheek, only interrupting himself to say:

"Sorry."

Harry clicked his tongue in clear ironic intent, before turning to leave.

"You are not fighting against me, but against your omega." He muttered. "Ask him for forgiveness."

After the discussion in the kitchen, something seemed to be reborn in Louis. 

The omega was seen around the house much more than before. Harry used to hear his unmistakable footsteps through the hall, in his bathtub, the water ran down regularly and his scent filled the house on weekends. They didn't talk much, Louis didn't even look at him when he was arm in arm with Emily, but he was definitely much more present. Sometimes Harry would find him studying in the living room and then the omega would whisper something along the lines of "you have food in the microwave" without looking up from his notes. Harry nodded, thanked him, and ate quietly on the sofa.

But Harry needed more. I always wanted more. His gaze traveled through the house to where the omega was and remained hopelessly focused on her arms and waist. He was always unconsciously searching for his scent all over the place and sighed in relief when it emanated from the grill of his bedroom door.

He had been trying to ignore it, he promised. He had mustered all his strength into it.

But everything was cut short a month later.

Harry had had one of his many dates with Emily, which had ended in a good kissing and fondling session. The alpha was coming home a little tired, with a sore back and all the smell of Emily permeated in him. It wasn't going to be a problem, he would take a shower and then sleep.

The thing is, the universe didn't seem to think like that.

When he inserted the keys and let the door go, he heard Jay's voice inside his house.

He tensed into place and stepped back, his scent beginning to emanate. He tried to completely remove Emily's, when then he heard his mother from within mutter a "son?"

That couldn't be happening, Harry thought, it couldn't be real.

But it was.

"Son!" His mother exclaimed when she peeked through the door to see that it was him. Harry raised an awkward smile, still vaguely smelling Emily's sweet chocolate on his body. "Oh, I was scared."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and approached her.

"Hi Mom." He responded when she wrapped her arms around him. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprise visit, you know." Anne laughed. "Taking advantage of the fact that your father has taken a break and Louis has a week off from college."

When Harry entered his house, he came across the scene. Louis was sitting on the couch, his legs tied tightly together and a scarf draped over his neck. His gaze was downcast and sad, and he didn't seem to want to put up with that for another second.

Well, Harry could tell that for the first time they both felt the same.

"Good to have you here," Harry lied into his mother-in-law's eyes. "How did you plan it?"

"You left home very early, son," Des replied, patting his back gently. "And you haven't answered the phone in a long time, so we decided to pay you a surprise visit."

Harry raised his dimples in a fake smile and nodded.

"Fine, fine, then let's enjoy it."

The parents nodded happily at the idea and Harry apologized for a few seconds, saying he had to take a shower. He stayed underwater longer than he should have been, thinking about the situation and his head, wondering how he was going to get through another week pretending that Louis was happy with him.

When he came out, the omega had made an impromptu dinner for everyone and they sat around the table. They talked a lot, Harry told how business was going, Louis updated about his career. 

Once everyone had a full stomach, Harry prepared the two remaining rooms - surprised when he entered Louis's and all of his things were gone. Then his mother suggested that he watch something in front of television, but told them that he was very tired.

"I'll wait for you in bed." He told Louis once he had said goodbye to everyone, in an affectionate tone that ended up breaking him, as he bent down to place a kiss on his shoulder.

Louis closed his eyes at the contact, but didn't reply.

Two hours later, the door to the room opened. The omega crawled to the other side of the bed, leaning his back against the headboard and made no noise in the dark. Harry gulped when he felt the weight close to him and the warmth emanating from it, accompanied by its sweet smell. Louis cleared his throat a little when he decided to speak.

"They called me this morning, that's why things are out of the room." He told her in a low voice, without delving much into the subject.

Harry didn't turn around.

"You could have warned me."

"I didn't know if ..." Louis sighed. "if appropriate."

"Oh," Harry muttered wryly. "Our parents come and we have to pretend to be a happy fucking marriage, again. But of course, it is not appropriate to tell me what I will find when I get home."

"I'm sorry, Harry," The omega apologized, the sour smell starting to show. "I didn't want to bother. I didn't know if you were with her or-"

"I was." I cut it. "And all the more reason you should have warned me. I had to cover his scent when I entered. If it had taken a second longer, they would have noticed."

Louis didn't answer that and Harry thought the conversation was over, so he pulled himself up to his nose and closed his eyes.

But Louis spoke again.

It was just a whisper that mixed with any other distant noise. But he said it, Harry heard him.

"Do you really like it?"

The alpha let out a soft snort, pulling the covers away from him and turning to glance at him.

"Why do you care?"

Louis hid his gaze from him, keeping something to himself that he would never tell Harry - maybe that something, was the hidden intention of that question.

"The bite, it must be redone." It was explained gently. "And my scent, we'll sleep together ... She won't be able to come, either."

"I'll handle it." I assure. "About the lasso ... If you don't want to, we'll find any other way."

"No," Louis denied, bringing his hands up to his legs to interlock. His tone was shaky, low. "It's fine with me. I mean, if it is with you."

"For me it is too."

An awkward silence fell as Harry pushed himself forward, keeping up with Louis. She leaned her back as well and they both found themselves sitting in the dark of the night, looking anywhere.

The omega coughed slightly, before turning to him.

"So..."

"Yeah yeah-" Harry muttered uncomfortably. "Come."

Harry breathed heavily when he saw him lift his neck toward him and stepped closer. He was so close, his skin was there, burning. Harry bent his nose to his neck and finally bumped into him. He sighed over her before parting his lips and laying them on the skin, gently digging his teeth into each other. When Louis didn't complain, he began to apply slight pressure, starting to dial him.

Louis shivered, as he did every time Harry bit him, and a stronger, more precise, warmer scent began to emanate. Harry raised his hand to go around the nape of his neck and draw him closer to his teeth, unable to help himself.

"Oof." Louis muttered as Harry bit down harder, in a small groan that ended up driving him crazy.

The alpha's eyes clouded when he heard that coming from the omega's throat.

Not just any omega, but your omega.

It had been so long since he'd first bitten him, with a Louis showing a grimace of disgust. So much since a second time, where the omega had been more accessible to him. And now she was biting him for the third time, she was doing it with more desire, sinking her teeth much harder.

Because he wanted it so bad.

But as always, Harry had to step back.

She eased the pressure shortly after, gently pulling away and letting her wet lips rest on the bite. Louis's chest rose and fell in response, his breathing ragged. The alpha could feel how the atmosphere of the room was beginning to change completely.

"You are close to heat." She whispered to him, without leaving him. Louis gulped, his Adam's apple moving in front of the alpha's eyes.

"Yes."

"I've never smelled it." 

"I had the last one when Sam was still around."

His alpha roared with jealousy, making him shiver.

"I get it." Harry muttered finally pulling away from Louis and looking at him in the dark. None could be seen through her, actually, but Harry could sense her scent, could feel something else beginning to bloom, her lubrication about to emerge.

And Harry would have given anything for it. He would have cradled Louis into his arms, kissed his neck until Louis begged and knotted him.

But Harry didn't know what was going to happen after all that, when his parents left and they went back to their separate, routine lives. He didn't know if Louis was going to put it aside again and pretend nothing had happened. You might want to find out soon ... but not right now. So he turned to his old position and after covering himself, he whispered a "good night", which was not answered.

The next day Harry woke up alone and knew it was going to be a bad day when his father suggested going to see the company. Harry was with Des all morning, walking around the offices and introducing him to everyone. It did help him to relax a bit, actually, but lunchtime inevitably came and he found the family eager to go sightseeing.

They ate around the table, commenting on how eager they were to visit all of New York, while Harry stared at the soup in front of him and pretended nothing was wrong.

They set off for Central Park first, because the Tomlinsons really wanted to see it. It didn't take that long from Louis and Harry's house, so they started walking the streets. Their parents went ahead and left them alone, behind. Harry had his hands in his jacket pockets and Louis seemed to hide his mouth under his plaid scarf.

"Should we-" Harry caught her attention. "Act like a couple? I don't know," he sighed when he saw out of the corner of his eye as Louis glanced at him quickly. "You haven't looked at me all day."

"It is not easy for me." Louis answered him low from his position, the two still walking hand in hand. "I'm afraid of your response to it."

"Louis," The alpha looked at him sidelong. "Just do it. They're going to be here for a week, it's going to be weird if we don't even share words."

"It costs me." He excused himself again.

"You could have thought about it before telling your parents that you had a crush on me."

Louis shook his head, taking his eyes off him.

"You might not have sounded so passionate when you claimed that I was yours."

Harry sighed.

"If I did, it's because you are."

But as always, Louis didn't answer.

"Oh Harry, this is lovely." Anne murmured when they reached the Big Apple. His eyes gleamed in the lights and the others nodded in response. "I understand that you love being here."

They were lost there for a couple of hours, the alphas taking pictures of the omegas and smiling every time they saw a street artist. Louis really seemed comfortable with his parents, he laughed a lot with Anne and hugged Jay, listened carefully to everything Des said and nodded towards his father. They looked like a real family. 

Too bad they weren't.

When night engulfed them, they decided they had had enough and started on their way back.

That's what the next few days were all about. Harry woke up alone in bed, ate breakfast without saying anything, took a shower, called Zayn to tell him if there was news at work and then they went out to see the city.

On the fourth day, Louis took a small step.

They were all around the television, watching Googglebox. Des had asked them to put the show on, excusing himself on the premise that he missed the UK. Harry had rolled his eyes and sighed a "dramatic", but he had put it. They had all gathered in the hall. Louis and Harry occupied the smaller sofa, making their legs touch and graciously accepted the blanket that Anne threw over them.

Harry was trying to focus on the television as the scent of Louis enveloped him. Then, he noticed how Louis's hand wandered under the blanket and came up to his thigh, groping for his. The alpha showed him his palm and let the omega gather the two on his lap.

It was a subtle gesture that nobody noticed, his parents kept laughing at the occurrences of the people who appeared on television.

Harry trembled at the idea, but said nothing.

That same night, Harry was in the bathroom of his room. He was in front of the mirror, with the vague idea of brushing his teeth and going to bed hoping his torture would end soon. His gaze lingered on the toothbrush next to Louis's, wondering if he had dropped so much that such a stupid image would make him feel so bad. 

You have, he answered himself, you have found your omega and in response you have received a blow to the face.

How was he supposed to escape this if a lifetime awaited him by his side? He had Louis so close that he could touch him with his fingertips, but then the omega would take two steps back and lose him.

And it hurt like hell.

His tears began to threaten to come out, so he disconnected his eyes from the mirror and got into the bathtub, sitting in it and letting the water wash over him.

He had the luxury of sobbing. First it started with a small hiccup, which ended in a soft moan and finally, her tears fell.

His head was beginning to ache as the cloud of steam moved gently towards the door, which had been opened.

"Harry?" He listened over the noise of the water, but did not raise his head.

The door closed again and Louis strode toward him. The omega did something he couldn't see and then put his right foot in, placing it between the marble and Harry's thigh. He introduced the other one later, sitting behind Harry's back. The water fell on top of them, and the omega circled his waist from behind, placing his cheek on Harry's wet skin. He left a kiss there, before muttering.

"I'm so sorry, alpha," His voice cracked. "I won't do it anymore. Sorry."

Well, clearly, Harry was sorry more.

The morning after that episode so embarrassing for him, Harry relaxed his shoulders when he entered the kitchen and found only Louis.

"They've gone to breakfast," he said. "They were tired of waiting for you."

"It's okay with me," Harry assured him. "I needed to rest from them."

Louis nodded in response and held out a cup of tea in front of him. Harry took it heartily and thanked him.

"Harry," Louis began carefully, his voice low. "about yesterday ..."

"I Dont Want To Talk About It." The alpha cut him off, his gaze lost on the tea on his hands. 

"Okay," Louis agreed. "as you want."

"Just-" Harry muttered. "Don't feel pressured not to do what you did, okay? They believe what they believe, and as far as I'm concerned they're going to continue to believe it. So ... let's make sense of it."

Louis had a hard time at first, reluctant to do anything that would cause that reaction in him again. But Harry didn't even avoid it. He subtly ran his hand over Louis's shoulder whenever he had the chance, picked up his hand on long walks, and placed a kiss on his cheek whenever the parents pointed out how in love they were. The omega was loosening little by little, and each night before going to sleep, his body clung a little closer to Harry's.

On the last day of the week, when their parents had to leave, they decided to stay home and spend it as a family, claiming they were going to miss them. The alpha truly forgot what his mission was at that time, because he could not remove his hands from the omega. They played board games all afternoon, while the alphas gloated about their superior intelligence and Harry made a disgusted face at those comments. They drank a couple of teapots together and the omegas laughed at them when they won. Then they had eaten something that Harry had prepared and had a beer afterwards. 

Anne and Des left saying they wanted to rest, as did Mark. Jay looked his son in the eye with pity and Harry knew it was also his time to walk away and let them say goodbye properly.

In the room, she texted Zayn saying she'd be back at work tomorrow, finally. He changed into his pajamas shortly after and sat down at the desk, turning on his laptop. She wasn't going to be able to sleep, so she opened her inbox and it stood out loudly. I had ninety-eight unread emails. He clicked on the first one and answered. He was immersed in work for about an hour and a half more, until Louis showed up.

The hallway lights behind him were off and the soft light from the lamp Harry kept on his desk illuminated it.

"Harry." It was the first thing she said, her eyes on him. Harry turned sideways to see him and muttered a "hmm?" "What are you doing awake?"

"Oh," Harry muttered, returning his gaze to the pc. "I was getting on with work. Tomorrow I'll start again."

"Okay," Louis told him, moving closer to the bed. "But now you should sleep."

The alpha nodded and looked at the time. It was three o'clock. 

"I'll take a quick shower." He pointed, receiving a tired affirmation from Louis.

The last thing she saw before disappearing into the bathroom was Omega snuggling against the bed. 

When he got out of his shower, Louis was staring at the television, which was playing a movie at low volume. Harry calmly approached the closet, opening it. She kept her robe on until she got some underwear, then gently laid it on the chair beside her.

He was going to duck to the bottom of the closet so he could get a clean shirt, but something made him stop.

Louis's soft hand settled on her back, carefully. Their skins connected gently and the omega caressed him. Harry tensed when Louis's chest collided with his back and his hands traveled from his waist to his stomach. Almost shaking, the alpha closed the closet only to find himself and his cheeks flushing in front of the mirror. He could still see Louis's hair, sticking out over his shoulder.

The omega dug its fingers into Harry's sides, forcing him to turn.

Harry did as he asked, meeting her blue eyes.

He didn't say anything, just closed his eyes as Louis stood on tiptoe and brought his lips together.

The connection was almost instantaneous, his alpha roaring as he felt the omega against him. Harry stammered a bit before daring to gently touch Louis's skin, pulling him into his body.

They ended up getting tangled up in bed a bit later. Louis hovered over him, letting his hands fly anywhere and stroking the alpha's curls with his nose. Harry chuckled without saying anything, rolling onto the bed to have Louis under him. He kissed the bite lovingly, leaving a trail of saliva that spread to the omega's chest and ended up carefully spreading his legs. 

Louis muttered in response, a small groan that made Harry burn inside.

He could smell his lubrication from up there, Louis's inner omega crying out for him to take it as his own.

And so he did. 

She let herself be enveloped by her soft scent, by the liquid that spilled between her legs, and the sweet, calm moans she gave when they joined.

Harry fell asleep with Louis on his chest that night.

When they woke up, Louis was still a bit bloated. His eyes shone up at Harry and he fondly accepted the kiss Harry placed on his shoulder when he told him that he was going to drop off his parents at the airport and that they would see each other later.

But when he came back, Louis was gone.

Like last time.

Harry stayed in the middle of the house, alone, understanding what had happened again. He had fallen back and Louis had thrown him away again, thrown away like trash. The omega had taken him to heaven and then dropped him from the top as he escaped.

On a completely broken sigh, Harry packed a small suitcase and slammed the door out of there.

Niall met him on the other side, as always. She wrapped her arms around him without saying much and made a bed for him.

Harry didn't show up at the house again for about two weeks, because he didn't look capable. He knew that if he went inside again and saw the place, he was going to start crying. And honestly, he had enough with his alpha. This did not leave him alone, throbbing in his chest, depressed and crying out to take him with his omega. It was so difficult for him that he found no other way out than to lock himself up much more at work. His days consisted of staying until nine in the office, showing up at Niall's house to sleep and looking at his cell phone, waiting for a call that never came.

When he felt sufficiently prepared, he began to go through the apartment. He clearly did it at times he knew Louis wasn't going to be there, but he left a trace so the omega would know he wasn't quite gone. 

One of the many Heartbreak Nights, Harry had gotten together with Emily and they had shared a couple of drinks. Harry hadn't touched her since then, still too drowned out by the smell and taste of Louis. It almost felt like a betrayal to do everything he did with the omega with a person again. They had seen each other, clearly, and Emily had insisted, but he had found excuses to refuse - that he was tired from work, that he had had a fight with his roommate and that is why he was spending a couple of days with Niall, whose house was not they could use, etcetera, etcetera.

The air beat differently this time, he felt something in his heart that did not leave him alone. His alpha was forcing him to move, to take a direct path to his apartment. Harry cleared his throat uneasily at the sensation and looked at the redhead.

"Emily," he called her when they both finished their meal. "Would you mind walking me home to pick up some things?"

"Are you still fighting with that omega?" She answered him instead. 

Harry nodded biting his lip and she didn't ask any more.

When Harry opened the door to his house, things looked different. The lights cast a small but cozy glow and the television was turned down low.

Harry crossed inside only to find a scene that made his throat dry.

The dining room table was set for two, with a subtle flowered tablecloth that must have been bought, because he didn't recognize it. A bottle of wine was poured into two long glasses, carefully placed near some napkins. The crockery they had received as a wedding gift were there. And there were candles. Louis had placed three red candles across the table. Louis had fucking conscientiously bought candles, set them up and lit them.

Harry raised his eyebrows softly when he heard the omega's trademark shuffling at the kitchen door.

Louis wore mittens hiding his hands and was carrying what appeared to be a cookie sheet, with some chicken on top of it. He stopped short when he saw the alpha prostrate against the door and his face lit up completely. His eyes traveled quickly to the girl next to him and then he dropped his shoulders. He totally lost the shine that had bathed his gaze and lowered it to the ground, in a clear grimace of sadness.

Harry blinked at the omega's subtle gesture and without taking his eyes off him, whispered to Emily:

"Go away."

"Harry?" She asked softly, not understanding the situation.

Harry didn't look at her, still locked in by Louis, who raised his head at that simple word and raised his eyebrows at him in surprise.

"I said go." He managed to articulate. "Emily, go away."

"Why?"

Harry looked at Louis feeling so small in front of him; her long eyelashes, her marked waist under that apron, her hair falling a little shorter, her cheeks more marked and her prominent dark circles, which always appeared when Louis was sad.

And his alpha roared, stirred inside him, cheered him, thanked him for coming with his omega, and let himself be burned by his scent.

"He is my omega."

Emily mumbled something she didn't even try to understand and pushed past her.

When the redhead slammed the door, Louis was still standing in front of the kitchen door, holding the food.

Harry took several steps toward him, but didn't touch him.

"Why have you done this, omega?" He demanded to know, probing with his eyes full of hope.

Louis seemed more helpless than ever. Far were the sarcastic comments, the cheap excuses and the angry looks. She had put all that behind her to hunch her shoulders and look at him with eyes that made him shiver.

"Have you slept with her?" He asked in counterpart.

"No, I couldn't." Harry answered sincerely. "Not since I last had you. I haven't been able to think of anything other than you." The alpha gulped. "And you? Your zeal? You know ..."

"Not." Louis blinked. "I spent it here, alone."

He complained to Harry's alpha, but he quietly silenced him. 

I know, he said, I regret it too.

"And now that we both know that," he continued. "Why have you done all this?"

"It's been a year today since ... you know," she murmured softly, a slight blush spreading across all of her cheeks and blending in with the triangle of polka dots that had caught her eye the first time she saw him. "We married."

"How did you know he was coming?"

"How did you know you had to come?"

Harry picked up the dish towel that hung from Louis's shoulder and took the tray out of his hands. He placed it carefully on the table and returned to his position, grabbing Louis's hands and pulling the mittens away, to toss them away. He caressed the omega's left palm with his thumb and stared at it.

I had missed him so much.

So much.

"You are my omega, Louis."

"So there you have your answer."

"Good," Harry told her at her confused gaze. "I need to know if this is serious. Tell me you're sure of this, Louis, because otherwise you're going to end up taking away what little sanity I have left."

"I ..." The omega cleared his throat a little, making himself into contact with the alpha. "I'm sorry I didn't call, I've been a coward."

"Explain yourself." He asked.

"When ..." Louis stuttered. "When we went to bed for the last time, that night my mother wanted to talk to me seriously. She told me that she had smelled another omega when you arrived and asked me if we were really as good as we said we were. I had to tell her the truth, I preferred that knew everything to think that you were capable of doing something like that to me. "

"God."

"I know." Louis sighed. "She couldn't believe it. She told me that I seemed so in love with you. And she was right. I mean, she would never have told me that she seemed happy with you if it were not true. She's my mother, she's not known for keeping things to herself. herself. I was surprised that she said that. "

"That's why you kissed me."

"I did it because of that." Louis agreed with a sad look. "And the next day it seemed to be going so well."

"I wasn't, not when you left."

"I did not do it." Louis cut him off, taking the opportunity to stroke Harry's hand. "I was in college ... I, God, I was so stupid. You said" see you later "and I assumed you knew I had to go back to college by the end of my vacation. But when I came back you were gone and I thought : well, it's karma. Now it's his turn to leave. "

Harry pouted a little and raised his hands to cup Louis's face. With her right hand she brushed the bangs off her forehead and looked at it.

"Oh God, omega," he murmured. "The stupid one was me. I thought you had run away and I broke in two. I had to leave because I couldn't bear having to see you after losing you one more time."

"Okay," Louis smiled into the palm of his hands, little tears starting to pool at the corner of his eyes. "It was only fair. I mean, after doing it so many times ... It would be your first thought."

"No, it wasn't fair to you." Denied. "Not if you were going to open up for the first time and I left you alone."

"I should have called."

"Yes," Harry got it right. "There are so many things we could have done and didn't do. But we are here and now, and ..."

Harry gulped.

"Yes?"

"Louis," he whispered nervously. "Am I your alpha?"

Louis still laughed into Harry's hands and shook his head. She gently withdrew from them so she could run her fingers through Harry's curls and end up leaving them behind his neck. 

"You know the answer."

"I need to hear it."

"You are." He confessed to him. "I knew it when I saw you, when your scent filled that room my omega, God, he twisted, woke up for the first time in what seemed like years. But I always wanted to go against the tide and I hurt you a lot along the way. I'm so sorry, alpha. "

"Do not do it." He asked. "All the mistakes we've made have brought us here and now. The only thing that matters to me is that you're in front of me right now."

Things changed from that moment on.

For good, of course.

Everything was so different that Harry took time to get used to having him by his side every night. They became a couple, a real one. A stable. Harry would get up with all of Louis's hair tucked into his mouth, but happy to have his scent next to him. Then he would make him some tea and take him to college before going to work. Everyone there was always right to say that Harry was happier than ever, but how could he not be when he finally had his omega? 

Then they met at night, Harry sometimes helped Louis to study, other times he deprived him of his kisses until he ate dinner and then they shared a bathroom and the bed, again.

Harry had discovered things about him that he would never have thought, like how easy it was for Louis to manipulate him. Just by raising his eyebrows he would have the alpha on his feet, asking him what he needed. Louis let himself be loved all the time, although he was sometimes a protester in need of attention. He used to throw himself on Harry when he was working at the computer, and began to spread kisses all over his neck, making the alpha sigh and carry him to bed.

Harry was so happy that he didn't even remember what it had been like to be without Louis for the last year. He couldn't remember how his chest hurt every time he left, because the omega had taken every piece of broken heart and rebuilt it with actions, deeds and words that made him tremble with love.

After some time rebuilding the relationship, Louis and Harry decided they needed a real wedding.

But not one full of business alphas and pretty omegas in dresses, sexist shit, and classical music. Not. 

They held it on a private beach near Queens, which Harry had gotten by shelling out good money. Louis had initially complained, but had ended up succumbing to the idea when Harry kissed his chest gently, tickling him. They had invited people close to them, the real ones. Everything had been filled with friends and family who listened carefully to the reason for a second wedding. The two of them had met in front of the altar, now of their own accord and Harry had been very happy when they had smashed their lips, sealing the union.

Harry fought for their wedding night to be celebrated, claiming that the disappointment of the first had to be covered with another good memory. And he didn't deprive himself of Louis one bit. He caressed everything that so long ago seemed distant from him. He cradled Louis in his arms, pulled him under him, and kissed every patch of skin that came his way. He spread her legs lovingly and made love to her like never before. There was no trace of resentment, no pain, all that had been left behind. They were an omega and an alpha hovering over happy to finally meet.

It was barely five in the morning when Louis looked him in the eye and said:

"Hazlo."

Harry licked his lips and his eyes glittered. He lowered himself to her neck and sniffed quietly, filling as much of him as he could. This would be the final one, it would really happen. He carefully felt the ground and Louis laughed softly, tangling his fingers in Harry's hair, almost squirming under it.

And he did.

First he left a soft kiss on the skin that was going to be marked, he took out his fangs and nailed them on Louis's neck with all the care and love he could. The omega pressed against him at the sensation and dug his fingers deeper. The beginning of the connection began when blood spurted gently and Harry pressed him against him, lovingly licking the wound.

Finally, she had everything she had ever wanted, everything her body asked for. They had created a bond that would hold them together for the rest of their lives.

Harry had given himself body and soul, and the omega had trembled in response, reminding him how much he loved him.

Louis was his and he was Louis's. 

Alpha and omega had bonded forever.


End file.
